Can opening and spout forming device



May 27, 1941. s w s CAN OPENING AND SPOUT FORMING DEVICE Filed June 29, 1938 Patented May 27, 1941 2,243,511 can ornmo AND SPOUT FORMING nnvrcn Lee Sowers, Arcadia, Ind., asaignor to F. and S; Manufacturing Corporation, Arcadia, Ind.

Application June 29, 1938, Serial No. 216,575 Y This invention relates to a new and useful device to form a pouring opening in the end of a can and-to shape the can body adjacent said pouring opening in order to provide a pourin spout through which the contents oi the can may be dispensed in a most desirable manner.

An object of the present invention is to provide a can opening and spout forming device of the above kind which is extremely simple and durable in construction, eilicient, and easy to use.

Briefly and broadly described, the present device or tool includes a pair of 'rigid prongs arranged in adjacent spaced relation, one of said prongs being tapered and pointed for use in punching a pouring opening in the can end adjacent one side of the can body, and the other prong extending alongside the punching prong so as to occupy a position adjacent and outwardly of the can body when the punching prong has been forced through the can end, whereby, when the tool is turned back and forth about an axis parallel with the axis of the punching prong, the sides of said second-named prong will be caused to engage the can body and force the same inwardly at' opposite sides of the pouring opening to provide the pouring spout, the portion of the can body coincident with the opening in the can end being prevented from being forced inwardly by the punching prong. The prong for bending the can body at opposite sides of the pouring opening may be shaped to bend the can body and form a pouring spout upon mere downward movement of the tool during the operation of punching the pouring opening in the can end by means of the punching prong, in which case turning of the tool about the axis of the punch ing prong will serve to enlarge or accentuate the pouring spout thus formed.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists in the novel construc tion hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawing and claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of one form of can opening and spout forming device constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view thereof partly in side elevation and partly broken away and in longitudinal section.

Figure 3 is a view showing a can in top plan and the tool in horizontal section, illustrating the manner in which the tool functions to open and form a spout on the can,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the upper portion of a can opened and provided with a spout by means of the tool shown in Figure 1; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a modified form of the invention.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the present can opening and'spout forming device preferably consists of a hand tool including a straight elongated shank 5 provided on its upper end with a suitable handle 8 and bifurcated at its lower end to provide rigid longitudinally extending prongs l and 8. The prong I is tapered to a point and preferably of round cross section to form a means for readily puncturing the 'end or top wall 9. of

the can adjacent oneside of the can body I 0 as at Il.' The'prongs l and 8 are arranged in adjacent spaced relation, and the other prong 8 is thus arranged to lie adjacent but outwardly of the body I 0 of the can when the prong 1 has been forced through the can end to form the pouring opening II. By turning the tool about the axis of prong l or shank 5, the prong 8 may be caused to force the body 18 of the can inwardly as at I! at opposite sides of the vertical plane intersecting opening ll, whereby to form the pouring spout I 3. When the tool is turned in this manner, the punching prong 1 holds the spout portion l3 against inward movement and even forces outwardly thereon so that a most eflicient spout is provided. The can body may be bent at I2 without being cut or disruptured. the side edges ll of the prong 8 are blunt or unsharpened.

In the embodiment of Figures 1 to 3 inclusive, the bending prong 8 is preferably of arcuate form in cross section with the punching prong 1 concentric therewith, and said bending prong 8 is beveled oil on the sides thereof corresponding to the edges of said prong. Thus, by disposing the prongs l and 8 sufliciently close together, the spout I 3 will be formed by inward bending of the can at I! upon the mere downward movement of the tool as in the act of puncturing the opening II by means of the prong 1. However, the spout thus formed may be enlarged or accentuated by turning the tool about the axis of shank 5 so that prong 8 is caused to deepen the inwardly bent portion l2. Obviously, if a small pouring spout is all that is required, this form of tool need not be turned, the bending at I2 performed by the prong 8 during the punching of the can being suflicient.

The form of the invention shown in Figure 5 consists in providing a rigid bar of metal forming both the shank 5' and the bending prong 8'. In

this embodiment, the prong 1 consists of a separate member having a laterally directed upper end II riveted or otherwise secured to or in an opening of the member I as at I. In this way, the prong I is rigidly attached to the member 5, I and oflset laterally with respect to the prong 8.. It is necessary to turn this tool in order to form the spout after the can end has been punctured by the punching prong I. In

other words, the bending prong l of Figure 5 that forms the spout by turning is not curved in cross section so as to bend the can body and form the spout during the mere act of puncturing the can end by means of the prong 'I'. It is thus necessary to first puncture the can end by means of prong I with this form of the inven-' tion and then turn the tool back and forth to cause the side edges of prong 8' to perform the bending operation as at I! of Figure 4 to complete the spout; This embodiment has a handle l4 on the upper end of shank 5', and the side edges ll of prong 8' are beveled oil so that the latter tapers narrower toward its free lower end. While the device of Figure 5 is extremely simple and satisfactory in use, it is not quite as efllcient and desirable as the tool of Figures 1 to 3 inclusive, because the latter can be used to form a spout by just pushing down on the tool.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that I have provided a highly efllcient can opening and spout forming device which is of extremely simple and durable construction,

comprising a straight elongated shank having a pair of rigid prongs projecting longitudinally from one end thereof in spaced side by side relation throughout their lengths, one of said prongs being slender and of round cross section andhaving its lower end projecting below the other prong and pointed for use in puncturing the can end, the other prong being imperforate and extending alongside the first-named prong in position to have its side edges engage the can body and force the same inwardly at spaced points upon turning of the tool about the longicomprising a straight elongated shank having a pair of rigid prongs projecting longitudinally from one end thereof in spaced side by side relation throughout their lengths, one of said and which is both economical to manufacture and extremely easy to use. The invention is obviously capable of modification, and changes in the specific details illustrated and described are contemplated such asfall fairly within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim as new is:

- l. A can opening and spout forming device prongs being slender and of round cross section and having its lower end projecting below the other prong vand pointed for use in puncturing the can end, the other prong being imperforate and extending alongside the first-named prong in position to have its side edges engage the can body and force the same inwardly at spaced points upon turning of the tool about the longitudinal axis of said pointed prong to provide a spout, said other prong further tapering narrower toward its lower end, and a handle on the other end of said shank to facilitate such turning 'of the tool, said other prong being of arcuate form in cross section throughout its length, and

LEE SOWERS. 

